I'm back, and with the tired old idea of Remus Lupin getting career advice! I hope you at least like my take on it. And YES, I'm aware I have finished ZERO (0) of my other stories but they're finished in my head and that's what really counts, isn't it?
"How're you feeling?" asked Peter sympathetically as he, James and Sirius sat down around Remus' bed.
"Rotten," Remus said honestly, sitting up a bit more to look at his friends better.
"Well," said James, in his patented Tell-Remus-What-He-Missed-Voice. "Fifth years have got career advice," He tossed a pile of brochures at Remus' feet. "S'posed to go in and figure out how many OWLs we'll need and all that for any potential careers,"
Remus looked sadly at the pile of booklets in his lap, knowing none would be useful and thinking about the fact that his Hogwarts career would be over in three short years, leaving his jobless and moneyless.
"Exciting isn't it?" said James, plucking a random brochure. "Although I'm fairly sure I'd like to be an Auror. Not sure if my Potion grade is high enough though...,"
Sirius and Peter had both picked up brochures, and Remus sat there helplessly and awkwardly, until Madam Pomfrey came through the curtains with his afternoon dose of Potions, giving him something to do.
"Hello, boys," she said cheerfully. "Career advice?"
James nodded. Remus put his face into a goblet.
"I just want to do something that'll really make my parents furious," said Sirius. "Maybe work with Squibs or in Muggle relations,"
James laughed darkly.
"I think a job at the Ministry would be nice," said Peter simply.
"'Course there may not be a Ministry by the time we graduate, way things are going," said Sirius.
"Don't talk like that, Black," snapped Madam Pomfrey. "I'm sure you will all get nice jobs and be very successful," She gave James a significant look, who caught on and scooped up the brochures.
"Anyway, Moony, you'll never believe what Flitwick did this morning...,"
-
"Potter!" barked Professor McGonagall, making Remus jump out of his own sullen thoughts. "Since you were so clearly hanging on to my every word, would you please explain the principle behind vertebrate transformations?"
James who had been in an animated discussion with Sirius, looked up. "Oh, it's all contingent on the evolutionary tree," he said, as if he was a professor of phylogeny. "The more highly evolved the creature, the more complex the transformation. Common sense, if you ask me," He gave an easy grin. Remus felt a pang of jealousy at his friend. Everything was easy for James, and yet Remus was sitting next to Pettigrew, who had farted four times during the class period.
Blessedly, the bell rang, and Remus was just shoving his book in his bag when -
"Mr. Lupin! A quick word, if you don't mind,"
"Yes, Professor," he called back to her, putting his bag on his shoulder and waving his friends along. He knew what this was about.
He approached her desk. "Mr. Lupin, I am going to assume that you simply forgot about our career advice meeting and did not intentionally skip the meeting," she said swiftly.
"Oh, well, Professor, I honestly just thought it would be a waste of your time, considering-,"
"Because intentionally skipping would mean leaving me in my office for twenty minutes waiting for you," she continued, as if he hadn't spoken.
"Oh," he said. "I'm sorry, Professor, I didn't mean to inconveni -,"
"But since you merely forgot, I will not give you detention, and just ask you to be in my office tonight at 7 PM sharp," She peered over her spectacles at him, hard. Remus nodded quickly. "Yes, of course, Professor, thank you,"
-
He knocked on Professor McGonagall's door at 7 PM, a knot in his stomach.
"Come in, sit down," said Professor McGonagall. Remus obliged.
"Well, Mr. Lupin, what are your plans post-Hogwarts?" asked Professor McGonagall. Remus couldn't believe it. Was she delusional? He was going to graduate and take it one moon at a time, find money as best he could and not get killed by Death Eaters.
"I don't have many options," he said softly.
"Just because you don't think you're capable doesn't mean that I don't," she said sternly. "You are a bright young man with a strong support system of friends and family. I am not about to watch you throw everything away because you have an illness. What are your career goals, Mr. Lupin?"
"I guess I have an interest in teaching," he said quietly.
"A talent for it, gauging by the way your peers speak of you," she said, a shadow of a smile on her lips. "Excellent,"
"Well, you'll need decent enough marks for that," she said. "And as far as I see -" she glanced down his transcript "-with the exception of Divination, you do,"
"But Professor - ,"
"Dumbledore would not have a problem hiring you," she said briskly. "The Ministry has no say in post appointments, and as long as the parents don't know, you'd be safe. Plus, you'd still be able to use the Shack on full moons,"
"There's no open post right now," he said. "I would have to wait...,"
"Hogwarts is in need of a substitute teacher, and we could always use a extra hand for tutoring or remedial lessons," she said, dead serious. "Mr. Lupin, I'm not telling you what to do, I would just like you to know that you need not feel hopeless. Professor Dumbledore and I will do everything we can upon your graduation to ensure you'll be successful - whatever that may be,"
Remus felt the back of his throat burn and swallowed, hard. "Thank you, Professor. I appreciate it, truly,"
"Now go and get your Divination grade up," she said, gesturing to the door.
"Yes ma'am," he said, getting up. "Have a good night, Professor,"
-
I would like to make this a series of one-shots centered around character's angst at age 16. I want to do James Sirius, maybe Harry, maybe Ron. I am open to suggestions!